Complex lamp systems incorporating a large array of lamps and electronic lamp controllers are commonly used in industry for a variety of purposes. Because of the nature of these systems and their purposes, the lamps and the ballasts or electronic lamp controllers incorporated into the systems are often of limited and difficult accessibility. Efficient use of these systems requires that these important components of the lamp system be monitored to keep the system functioning properly. Effective monitoring is important to both maintain the system operating efficiency and reduce costs.
One area where the apparatus of the present invention would be of particular interest, although not limited thereto, is in the rapidly developing area of systems and apparatus for disinfection of water with ultraviolet light, spurred by increased environmental awareness, the accompanying regulation associated with disposal and treatment of waste and potable water and the desire to avoid or reduce reliance on chemical treatment. This growing need has resulted in a number of systems that employ germicidal ultraviolet lamps to disinfect such waste water.
It is important in completing this difficult task of ultraviolet treatment that the operation of lamps employed in the system be monitored accurately and efficiently to ensure that all the water be treated by full exposure to at least the minimum required dosage of ultraviolet radiation produced by the lamps. Not accurately monitoring the status of the lamps in the system could result in untreated or improperly treated water, which can have serious health and/or environmental consequences. One means to accomplish this critical task is to closely monitor the ultraviolet lamps and the solid state ballasts or electronic lamp controllers, checking the status of operation of the system to insure that all lamps in the system are operating properly.